Combined package and applicator



1952 c. A. ocLAssEN ET AL 2,

COMBINED PACKAGE AND APPLICATOR Filed May 9, 1951 "I...v "'Iln. I

INVENTORS' 6% Patented Nov. 25, 1952 COMBINED PACKAGE AND APPLICATOR Charles A. Oclassen and Paul H. Bronnenkant, Kenmore, N. Y., assignors to Foster-Milburn Company, Bufialo, N. Y.

Application May 9, 1951, Serial No. 225,412

8 Claims.

This invention relates to applicators of the type usable for introducingpastes, jellies or other materials or substances into orifices of the body for hygiene and for medical purposes, and more particularly to applicators of this type which also constitute packages or containers for the material to be administered, and which are primarily intended to be used only once and then destroyed or discarded.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an applicator of this type of inexpensive construction and which may be made of molded plastic materials, and which forms a fluid-tight container for the material to be administered.

Another object is to provide a combined applicator and container comprising an elastic tube or barrel and a substantially rigid plunger, and in which the tube or barrel has a portion of reduced internal diameter in which the plunger is gripped to form a tight seal for the material in the barrel, when the device serves as a package for the material.

Another object is to provide a device of this type in which the barrel is provided with a portion of larger internal diameter terminating at one end in the discharge end thereof and at the other end in a portion of smaller internal diameter, in which the plunger is held with greater force than when moving through said portion of larger internal diameter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a closure of improved construction for the discharge end of the tube or barrel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a combined applicator and packageembodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view thereof, on an enlarged scale with a portion of the plunger omitted.

Figs. 3 to are respectively transverse sectional views thereof, on lines 3-3, 4-4 and 55, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the discharge endof the barrel or tubular part of the device.

The combined package and applicator, which is shown by way of example in the drawings, includes an open-ended tubular part or barrel 8 and a part which is slidable within the barrel 8 in the manner of a piston to expel thev material contained therein through the discharge end of the tube. This end of the tube may, for example, be provided with an end wall having an aperture 9 formed therein. The plunger part cooperating with the barrel may be of any suitable or desired construction and, as shown, includes a plunger head or piston l0 formed on the end of a piston rod II. This rod may be of any suitable or desired shape, and as shown, is provided with three or more radially extending webs 12, four being shown in the construction illustrated, and the rod terminates at its outer end in a knob [4 by means of which the plunger may readily be pushed into the barrel 8. These webs are of such width or shape that the rod II will fit loosely in the barrel, but will be held in approximately axial alinement with the barrel or tubular part while being moved into the barrel. The plunger head [0 is of slightly larger diameter than the greatest transverse dimension of the plunger rod. A rod of any other suitable shape may be employed, if desired.

The barrel 8 may be provided at its open end with a flange [5 to facilitate the manipulating of the device, and the discharge opening 9 there- (I); may be closed by a removable stopper or plug In accordance with this invention, the barrel 8 is made of a resilient material which can be molded or formed into the desired shape, either by injection molding or pressure molding, and which has sufiicient' rigidity so that it may be readily inserted into a body cavity without collapsing or buckling. We have found that these barrels or tubular parts may be injection molded of a polyethylene. However, plastic materials having properties similar to polyethylene may be employed, such as vinyl chloride polymer and vinylidine chloride, and possibly some other materials, such for example, as certain types of nylon. It is, of course, also possible to mold barrels of this type by pressure molding of a rubber or rubber-like composition having the desired elasticity and sufiicient rigidity to permit normal use of the device in body cavities. When the barrel is made by injection molding, the outer surface thereof is slightly frusto-conical so that the barrel may readily be removed from the mold cavity.

It is desirable to construct the barrel and the plunger in such a manner that the plunger is held in its outer position with a moderate amount of force so that the risk of dislodging the plunger While the device is being used as a container or package is reduced, and so that a tight seal is formed between the plunger and the tube to prevent leakage or escape of the material in the tube. It is desirable, however, that the plunger,

after being removed from this sealing position, will readily move lengthwise in the barrel so as to eject the preparation contained in the barrel. For this purpose, we provide the interior of the barrel with a portion 20 which is of such internal diameter as to form a sliding fit for the plunger head and to permit the same to slide, readily lengthwise of this portion of the barrel. This portion 20 extends from the discharge end of the barrel to a sealing portion 2| of smaller diameter. The portion 2| is arranged intermediate of the ends of the barrel and preferably adjacent to the open end thereof, but the location of the sealing portion may vary, depending upon the quantity of material to be placed into the tube.

The plunger head l and the rod connected therewith may be made of any suitable. plastic material, preferably a relatively hard or rigid material of suflicient stiffness so that when pressure is exerted on the knob 4 there is no tendency of the rod to bend or buckle. The plunger in the construction shown is molded in one piece with the rod end or knob l4, and may be made of any of the rigid, plastic materials, hard rubber or of metal. For example, it'has been found very satisfactory to make the plunger part of a hard thermoplastic material such as polystyrene, cellulose acetate or any of the other relatively rigid plastic materials.

Beyond the part 2| of smaller internal di ameter and toward the outer end of the barrel, the internaldiameter may be enlarged, as indicated at 22, and the barrel may have an out-.

wardly flaring. outer end 23, so that the material and the plunger may be readily inserted from this end, butiif desired, the material may be placed into the tube or barrel from the discharge end thereof.

In the use of the device. a measured ouantity of V a preparation or material to be injected into a y C y is. placed into the barrel 8. The plunger may be insertedthrough the open end of 'the barrel into theportion 2| of reduced inter-.

nal diameter. At this portion, the elastic material of which the barrel is made is stretched radially outwardly to receive the plunger l0, and consequently, grips theplunger head so that the same is releasably heldin the barrel. This portiojn'2l of reduced internal diameter, consequent- 1y, yieldingly grips the plunger in such a manner as to vform av tight seal therewith and so that the plunger will not be displaced or moved relatively to they barrel during. the ordinary handling. and shipping of the device." The material or substance to be administered is thus securely held within the portion '2 [lot the barrel so that leakage ofthis. material past the plunger head I0 is prevented. The device, therefore, acts in a very satisfactory manner for use'as acontainer for the material to be administered.

Since the barrel is madeof an elastic material, the plug or closure member Bmay. also be yieldingly gripped by the end wall of the barrel to form a tight seal therewith, The plug in the.

construction shown, is provided with a neck portion 24 which is of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the hole 9-. Consequently, when the plug is in its operative position in the hole, the material about the hole 9 will be tightly stretched about the neck portion 24 to forma fluid-tight seal therewith. Preferably this stopper is provided at the inner end thereof with a flange or bead 25 of slightly larger diameter than the neck a portion 24 so that-this flange will resist removal of the stopper from its closing position in the dis charge end of the barrel. The material of the barrel is sufliciently elastic so that the bead or flange 25 can readily be forced through the hole 9. This flange, consequently, yieldingly holds the stopper against removal from the hole. The outer end of the. stopper may be, of enlarged circular form, and if desired, a radial extension or tab 26 may be formed thereon extending slightly beyond the outer surface of the barrel 8, by means of which the stopper can be readily grasped for removing the same. from the hole or discharge opening in the end of the barrel, again by stretchingthe material around the hole 9 to permit the flange 2-5 to pass through the same. A closure of any other suitable form may be used at the discharge end of the barrel.

In the use of the device, the stopper or plug I6 is first removed from the discharge opening 9 in thebarrel and the barrel 8 is then inserted into the body cavity, whereupon pressure is exerted against the knob 14, While the barrel is held against farther movement, which is materially facilitated by the outwardly extending flange l5 at the, open end of the barrel. When pressure is it a pp ie o he kncb co i rabl resistance will be encountered against movement of the plunger because of the portionzgl" of reduced diameter, but after'a small initial movement of the plunger, thehead liltof the plunger will enter into the pQIftiQn 2 0 of the. barrel of slightly larger diameter. This porticn of the barrel, is of such diameter astc form a, sliding fit ahQut the head N1, of the plunger without materially resistin thejmovement, of the plunger lengthwise ,of, the barrel toward the discharge end thereof. After this initial. movement of the plunger to disengage. the head from the Portion 2|- of the. barrel, the. plunger will move. freely toward the discharge end of the. barrel. to discharge the contents of the barrel.

The combined. package and applicator as described is. inexpensive to produce, sincei-tconsists. ofonly threeparts, and: a11,o-f. these parts maybelmolded without. requiring any additional work to be done, thereon. The barrel or. tubular part may be injection molded in a die about a coreor mandrel having a 'portionof reduced diameter corresponding. tothe, part 2|. of the bar,- rel, and since the barrel-is made of aresi-lientmaterial, it may readily:belstrippedfrom the coreor mandrel after. molding, since; the part 2 of the barrel will-readily. stretch-sufficiently to passover the part of the ccrevof large gdiameter.

The. material to be administered is. preferably inserted intothe-barrei at a factorywhere suitable filling andmeasuring apparatus is available, so that each of these,combined-package and-applicators il co t i aewret l r m asu amountof material to be dispensed, and consequently, after the combined package and applicator has been used' it may be thrown away, thus avoidin the necessity of the user placing-measured quantities of material in the barrel.=

Itw-ill be understood;- that-various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of-parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature, of the invention, may be made by, those skilled in: the art within the principle, and scope,-Ofj.:the invention, asexpressedin' theappendedclaimsr Wev claim as our invention:

1*. A; combined packageand applicator for administering a substancezto a. body: cavity: including an openee'ndedouter tubular member-of an elastic material and a plunger having a relatively rigid head slidable therein to discharge the substance contained in said tubular member at one end thereof, said tubular member having a portion for containing said substance and which extends from said discharge end toward the other end of said tubular member and which is of an internal diameter which forms a sliding fit with said plunger head to enable the same to slide lengthwise thereof for expelling said substance, said substance containing portion of said tubular member terminating adjacent to said other end thereof in a portion of smaller internal diameter through which said plunger head may pass while radially stretching said portion of smaller internal diameter.

2. A combined package and applicator for administering'a substance to a body cavity, including an open-ended outer tubular member of an elastic material and a plunger having a relatively rigid head slidable therein to discharge the substance contained in said tubular member at one end thereof, said tubular member having a portion for containing said substance and which extends from said discharge end toward the other end of said tubular member and which is of an internal diameter which forms a sliding fit with said plunger head to enable the same to slide lengthwise thereof for expelling said substance, said substance containing portion of said tubular member terminating adjacent to said other end thereof in a portion of smaller internal diameter through which said plunger head may pass while radially stretching said portion of smaller internal diameter, said tubular member from the other end thereof to said portion of smaller diameter, having an internal diameter larger than that of said substance-containing portion, to facilitate insertion of the plunger head into said tubular member.

3. A combined package and applicator for administering a substance to a body cavity, including an open-ended outer tubular member of an elastic material and a plunger having a relatively rigid head slidable therein to discharge the substance contained in said tubular member at one end thereof, said tubular member having a portion of smaller internal diameter intermediate of the ends thereof and through which said plunger head may pass by radially stretching said tubular member at said portion of smaller internal diameter.

4. A combined package and applicator for administering a substance to a body cavity, including an open-ended outer tubular member of an elastic material and a plunger having a relatively rigid head slidable therein to discharge the substance contained in said tubular member at one end thereof, said tubular member having a material containing portion of an internal diameter with which said plunger head has a sliding fit and which terminates at said discharge end, and a sealing portion of smaller internal diameter which yieldingly grips said plunger head to form a fluid-tight seal therewith and in which said plunger head may slide lengthwise by radially stretching said portion of said tubular member of smaller internal diameter.

5. A combined package and applicator for administering a substance to a body cavity, including an outer tubular part and a plunger head slidably arranged therein to expel the substance contained in said tubular part, said tubular part being of a resilient material and having a discharge aperture in one end thereof and having a portion terminating at said discharge aperture which has an internal diameter corresponding substantially with the outer diameter of said plunger head and in which said substance may be contained and which extends from said discharge end throughout a substantial part of the length of said tubular part, said tubular part being of smaller internal diameter beyond said substance containing portion and which fits snugly about said plunger head and i which offers greater resistance to movement of said plunger head than does said substance containing portion and which forms a seal with said plunger head.

6. A combined package and applicator for administering a substance to a body cavity, including an open-ended outer tubular part of an elastic material and a plunger having a relatively rigid head slidable therein to discharge the substance contained in said tubular part at one end thereof, said tubular part having a portion of smaller internal diameter intermediate of the ends thereof and through which said plunger head may pass by radially stretching said tubular part at said portion of smaller internal diameter, and a plunger rod formed integral with said plunger head and having its reatest transverse dimension less than the internal diameter of said portion of smaller internal diameter.

7. A combined package and applicator for administering a substance to a body cavity, including an outer tubular part having a discharge end with an aperture therein and open at the other end, said tubular part having a portion of larger internal diameter terminating at one end at said discharge end, a portion of smaller internal diameter intermediate of the ends of said tubular part, a plunger having a head which has a sliding fit with said portion of larger diameter and which may move lengthwise of said portion of smaller diameter by stretching the same radially, and a removable stopper of relatively rigid material for closing said aperture and about which the material of said tubular part is stretched when said stopper is inserted into said aperture.

8. A combined package and applicator according to claim 7, in which said stopper comprises a neck portion of slightly larger diameter than said aperture and about which the material of said tubular part about said aperture is stretched when said stopper is in operative position in said aperture, and a flange at the inner end of said stopper and of larger diameter than said neck portion and which may pass through said aperture by stretching the material about said aperture and which yieldingly holds said stopper against movement out of said aperture.

CHARLES A. OCLASSEN. PAUL H. BRONNENKANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,518,486 Mende Aug. 15, 1950 2,549,417 Brown Apr. 17, 1951 

